Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Douglas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Douglas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,752 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $4,183 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $5,614 in Douglas.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 39% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Douglas 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$28.84 IMP 21.40

-72.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$123 IMP 91.4

-61.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$12.09 IMP 8.97

-18.20%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.18 IMP 3.84

-39.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.84 IMP 2.11

-32.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.14 IMP 1.59

-29.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$6.74 IMP 5.00

-53.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$6.02 IMP 4.47

-4.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.61 IMP 1.93

-44.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.74 IMP 2.04

-9.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.16 IMP 1.60

-18.06%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.52 IMP 4.10

-46.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.38 IMP 6.22

20.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$8.99 IMP 6.67

12.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.09 IMP 9.71

9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.00 IMP 2.23

38.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.81 IMP 1.34

-11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$3.82 IMP 2.83

-41.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.61 IMP 2.68

-37.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.12 IMP 2.31

-34.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.08 IMP 2.28

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.18 IMP 1.61

-46.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$2.74 IMP 2.03

-52.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$23.18 IMP 17.20

-83.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$12.25 IMP 9.09

14.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$4.47 IMP 3.31

-61.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$4.47 IMP 3.32

-35.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$2.93 IMP 2.17

-58.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$98.3 IMP 72.9

-18.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$5.28 IMP 3.92

-75.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.51 IMP 1.12

45.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$80.1 IMP 59.4

-89.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.97 IMP 1.46

-30.46%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$45.7K IMP 33.9K

-39.10%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$44.9K IMP 33.3K

-20.35%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$177 COP 553.2K

$357 IMP 265

-50.34%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$63.0 IMP 46.76

-77.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$75.6 IMP 56.1

-60.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$65.6 IMP 48.70

-31.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$19.92 IMP 14.78

-14.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$16.24 IMP 12.05

-59.05%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$813 COP 2.5M

$1,798 IMP 1,334

-54.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$53.0K IMP 39.3K

-82.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$100 IMP 74.4

-10.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$46.53 IMP 34.53

26.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$116 IMP 86.1

19.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$72.2 IMP 53.6

41.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$1,267 IMP 940

-16.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,105 IMP 820

-40.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,349 IMP 1,743

-19.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$2,068 IMP 1,535

-50.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$5,063 IMP 3,757

-17.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$3,958 IMP 2,937

-57.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$3,057 IMP 2,269

-77.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.76

129.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Douglas: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $1,267 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 351% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $123 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $366 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Douglas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 351% lower in Douglas. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $1,267 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $2,752 in Douglas – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 22% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,752 in Douglas, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Douglas. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Douglas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Douglas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.